Lookie, Lookie....

After posting yesterday's decorating tip of the day....I decided that it would be prudent to post a before and after picture. Please note: I decided to skip the illustrated step of "throw in laundry", you'll have to imagine that part. So , the top picture is of the patio door, BEFORE, with a cheapy little garland over the curtain rod. I twist some of the "pine" around the rod. This is all I got done the other day. So....Babysteps....then supper happened and dishes happened....and everyone scattered and I had the kitchen table all to myself. That is an important part of the process. Then I retrieved various nature things from the garage to the tabletop and began the process.... And the lower on is the AFTER shot . Not picture is the lovely glass of Red Currant Merlot I had while "working". There are boughs of cedar, dogwood branches, dried porcupine grass, and that's it. There was no need for rosehips...I'll use them in a swag outside. I think that'll be my next project....cause we wouldn't want to run out of projects!

No time for a tip today...it took all my time and patience to download these.....see ya!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas...

Today Craig had a snow day. Well...his bus was cancelled but I think school was still on. The schools that feed the highschool are in hither and yon, and when there are snow squalls there is easily one or two bunches that can't make it to school! This was very difficult for Craig to accept.....NOT! But more difficult for Joe who DID have school. So we hung out together. It was such a fun day. I finished the laundry, and we brought the Christmas things out of hiding. Craig put the tree up all by himself....we added the lights and the garland and will put the ornaments on together later.

I also decorated the living room area, tops of the kastjes. I don't usually do that but felt moved to do that this season. It is fun to have something new to look at. I am recharging batteries as we speak so there might be some pictures forth coming. I found the cutest funky wacky little Christmas tree last year.

I have been totally uninspired in the card department but feel the creative juices stirring in the decorating department. So instead of cardmaking tips I shall have a couple of decorating tips. I know it's not what you wanted but it's what I wanted. ...tough bananas. Tip #1 was posted in the comments of Amanda's blog. For persons unable, or unwilling to have a Christmas tree.....simple search out or purchase some seasonal foliage and place it in an appropriate vessel (urn, sap bucket, or other tall container ...10gallon pail wrapped in burlap....) and voila...Christmas in a pot.
Tip #2- decorating over a window or patio door. Detach curtain. Throw in laundry. Take an artificial pine garland and wrap it around the curtain rod, or simple fasten in the middle and the corners so it can drape gracefully....or lay upon the shelf over the door. Take various kinds of branches(dogwood, pine, cedar.....) , nature thingies(teasels, rosehips, stalks from grasses...) and insert at random. Garland will keep the various inserts in place....you can also use artificial berries on picks from Dollarama or last years Christmas center piece. I have also used the berries from my firebush. Go crazy... usually very therapeutic.

Must go now and deliver spouse to meeting, then attend parent teacher interviews. TTFN....

Seeing Stars....

Another fun day today. I got a little roadtrip in, not quite as far as Randall and not with that many teenagers in the car. Two friends and I went to Exeter and shopped the little shops there. They have such lovely Christmas things there. I purchased a number of cream coloured stars of various sizes. I hope to put them on the front of the garage. First I have to convince Ray that the garage won't bleed if I put nails in the wood...

Speaking of Ray and the garage.....he has successfully created a rack in the garage for both canoes to rest on AND leaving enough room for the car to be housed indoors for the winter. I suggested a couple of tweaks to the original design, which ended up making the car fit even more easily. I was about to take a picture BUT my batteries are dead. Maybe tomorrow....

I am doing a load of tea towels and they are spinning out for the last time. A family had a gathering at church and we went and tidied there after my company Christmas dinner. The ladies I paint with and the lady I work for , and the guy who does the home inspections and maintenance all had Christmas dinner together with our spouses. It was such a fun evening....

Well the lads are back from hockey, Ray played defense and still managed to score 3 goals!
Have a good first Sunday of Advent! Ik mat noadich op bed!